Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has qualified for the ballot in Maine, a spokesperson for Maine’s Secretary of State told CNN on Wednesday.
Remember: On Monday, the office of Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced they would consider a challenge to Kennedy’s petition from a Maine voter. But after the hearing was scheduled, the voter withdrew the objection, Bellow’s office announced yesterday.
When asked for clarification on the status of Kennedy’s petition, a spokesperson for Bellows told CNN that Kennedy will appear on Maine’s ballot in November.
Why this matters: By appearing on the ballot, Kennedy could complicate the dynamics over the race for Maine’s electoral votes, particularly the sole electoral vote awarded to the winner of Maine’s 2nd congressional district, a competitive district that Trump won in the 2020 election.
Including Maine, Kennedy has gained ballot access in 19 states.
Earlier this week, a New York judge ruled that Kennedy’s ballot-access petition in the state was invalid, delivering the first major blow to the independent presidential candidate’s bid for nationwide access. In a statement following the decision Monday, Kennedy said he plans to appeal the ruling in federal court.
In total, Kennedy is eligible to receive 236 electoral college votes.
